1. Introduction: The Battle for Your Mind
Good morning everyone.
Let me start by asking:
Have you ever noticed how just a few minutes scrolling through the news or social media can completely change your mood?
You were fine five minutes ago — maybe even cheerful.
But now you’re anxious, angry, or discouraged.
Why?
Because what we focus on fills our minds.
And what fills our minds shapes how we feel and how we live.
We’re constantly being shaped — by
• the voices we listen to,
• the messages we consume, even
• our own internal self-talk.
The world has a pattern.
What does that pattern look like?
Often the pattern looks like worry, fear, cynicism, and comparison.
But as followers of Jesus, we’re called to a different pattern.
In Romans 12 We’re called to
• renew our minds —
• to think differently
• to form another pattern
so we can live differently.
That’s what this new mini series, “Be Positive”, is all about.
Not just - wishful thinking or ignoring reality
— but choosing a different pattern –
to see life through God’s lens.
And today, we begin with the idea that “The Power of a Positive Perspective” starts in our minds.
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2. What Does It Mean to Renew Your Mind?
Romans 12:2 (have it open) is our foundation today.
Let’s break it down:
A. Stop Conforming
"Do not conform to the pattern (the shape) of this world..."
What does the world’s pattern look like?
• Constant comparison on social media.
• Fear-based headlines.
• The “I’m not enough” voice that plays on repeat.
• Cynicism that says nothing ever changes, so why bother?
THAT’s the pattern of this world.
It’s not new.
Think of the Israelites in the wilderness.
God had rescued them miraculously from Egypt, but when they reached the Promised Land,
they didn’t focus on the promise, no!
They focused on the giants instead of the God who promised victory (Numbers 13–14).
They conformed to the pattern of fear and missed out.
We do the same when we adopt the world’s pattern of thinking instead of God's.
So – a. Stop conforming
B. Start Transforming (Rom 12.2)
"...but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Alter your pattern!
Renewing our minds is a daily, intentional process.
It means choosing
• truth over lies,
• God’s promises over your past, and
• faith over fear.
Paul is a great example.
He went from persecuting Christians to preaching the gospel — why?
Because he had a complete mind shift (a pattern change) after meeting Jesus (Acts 9).
His thinking changed, and his whole life followed.
Paul writes in Ephesians 4:23 says, “Be made new in the attitude of your minds.”
Our mindset matters.
Because how we think shapes how we live.
a. stop conforming
b. start transforming
C. Result: Discern God’s Will
"Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
When our minds are renewed, we begin to see things clearly.
We can discern what is true, what is right, and what God wants for our lives.
A renewed mind doesn’t just know God’s will —
it trusts it.
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3. How to Cultivate a Positive Perspective
So how do we actually change the pattern of our minds?
Here are three practical steps:
A. Audit Your Inputs
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
In our digital age, guarding your heart starts with guarding your mind.
Ask yourself:
• What am I regularly watching, listening to, or reading?
• Are my conversations filled with negativity, gossip, or fear?
• Am I feeding my faith or feeding my worry?
Illustration:
Hold up two clear bottles: one filled with clean water and one filled with muddy or coloured water. Say:
• “If I told you to drink from one of these, you’d naturally choose the clean one.
Why?
Because you know that, what you put into your body matters.
The same is true for your mind and heart.
If we're constantly taking in the
muddy water of fear, gossip, or negativity, it will cloud our thinking and affect how we live.
But when we filter what comes in — by guarding our inputs — our lives become clearer, healthier, and more peaceful.”
We can’t expect to live with peace and joy if we’re constantly drinking in fear and division.
B. Replace Lies with Truth
Here’s a practical tool: take a negative thought you often wrestle with — something like, “I’m not enough,” and hold it up to the light of Scripture.
What does God say?
2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
When the enemy whispers, “You’ll never change,”
God says, “I am doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:19).
Illustration:
Hold up a Post-it note with a lie written on it: “I’m not good enough,” “God could never use me,” “I’ll never change.”
Stick it to your chest or a mirror and say:
These are the kinds of messages we often carry around — they stick to us.
But God’s Word gives us new labels.
Then replace them with another card:
“Chosen,” “Forgiven,” “A new creation,”
“I can do all things through Christ.”
Stick those over the old ones or tear the old ones off.
It’s like the box of replacing negative for positive
“We don’t fight lies with willpower — we
fight them with truth.
God's truth has the power to overwrite the old labels and renew our mind.”
This isn’t about pretending problems don’t exist — it’s about choosing which voice we listen to.
C. Practice Gratitude
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances.”
We’ve said in the past gratitude actually rewires our brain.
Studies show that regular thankfulness can increase happiness, lower stress, and even improve sleep.
More importantly, it aligns our perspective with heaven’s reality.
Illustration:
Hold up a jar filled with slips of paper
This is a gratitude jar.
Every day, write down one thing I’m thankful for.
It doesn’t have to be big — it could be sunshine, a friend’s text, or the smell of coffee in the morning.
Over time, this simple habit has shifts our perspective.
It changes our pattern
Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, we start to notice what’s right.”
Gratitude isn’t about ignoring problems.
It’s about choosing to see God’s goodness even in the middle of them —
and that choice rewires our mind, changes our pattern, and renews our heart.
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4. Application & Response
Let me ask you today ~(slow):
What negative thought pattern do you need to surrender to God?
Is it fear? Self-doubt? Pessimism? A critical mindset?
God invites us to bring it to Him and let Him renew our mind – change our pattern.
Here’s your challenge for the week:
• Memorise Romans 12:2. Let it shape how you think this week.
• Start a “Mind Renewal Jar.”
• Write down negative thoughts and next to them, replace them with God’s truth.
Renewal doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen—when we partner with God daily.
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5. Closing Encouragement
Let me leave you with this encouragement from Philippians 1:6:
"He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
God is not finished with you.
The change you long to see begins in your mind — and God is right there with you in the process.
• Be patient.
• Be intentional. And
• “be positive”
— not because life is always easy, but because God is always good.
This week, start changing your pattern.
SONG: Renew my mind (sit and reflect before the Lord)
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today with open hearts, ready to surrender the negative patterns that have clouded our minds and weighed down our spirits.
Your Word has reminded us that transformation begins with what we feed our souls.
Lord, convict us where we’ve consumed the "muddy waters"
Give us discernment to filter our inputs — the shows we watch, the conversations we entertain, the voices we amplify.
Replace what pollutes with what purifies, so our lives may overflow with Your clarity and peace.
Lord, Rewrite our stories with Your promises: Let Your Word drown out every accusation of the enemy, for Your grace is sufficient, and Your power shines brightest in our weakness.
Holy Spirit, cultivate gratitude in us.
Train our eyes to see Your goodness.
Help us fill our “jars” with thanks, not as a way to ignore our struggles, but to confront them with faith.
Where we’ve clung to pessimism, give us courage to release it.
Where we’ve rehearsed self-doubt, let us proclaim Your strength.
Make us doers of Your Word, not hearers only.
We surrender our thought patterns to You, the God who makes all things new.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
